Top-ranked Scot Robert MacIntyre is again hitting ‘the numbers’ with his irons as his efforts to secure his PGA Tour card received a confidence-lift with a three-under par 68 on day one of the Korn Ferry event in Columbus, Ohio.
MacIntyre grabbed four birdies, and none beter than a 30-footer at his opening hole, and with an only bogey at 17 at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship on the Scarlet course at Ohio State University.
MacIntyre headed to lunch delighted to be behind early clubhouse leader, American Bo Van Pelt who signed for a 65.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre delighted to have his irons dialled-in on day one of the penultimate Korn Ferry Tour event in Ohio
MacIntyre said: “It was a great round of golf with just the one dropped shot there on 17 where I just slightly pulled a 5-iron but that’s not a negative as I drove the ball so good today.
“Also, it wasn’t that my four birdies were great as I had a few good second shots to save par.
“Overall, the good thing is I am starting to hit the numbers again with my irons which has been a battle and along with my putting, the game is very good”.
The Oban lefty is looking to be among the top-25 money-earners on a mini money list running over the last three events on the secondary Tour and having let any earning in missing the cut last week at the Boise Open in Idaho.
And MacIntyre ended his round before the threat of inclement weather halted play in the $1m event.
Meanwhile .. Calum Hill and Grant Forrest returned to competition for a first time since their maiden Tour victories at the Omega European Masters at Crans-Montana in Switzerland.
Hill was cruising at five-under par through nine holes and superbly helped by finding the green with a 3-wood shot at the short par-4 seventh and holing his 14-foot eagle putt for a ‘2’.
Though the Scot was unlucky at the par-5 14th when his approach shot hit a metal pole supporting the fencing for the range but no-one saw where his ball landed and Hill had to take a penalty drop on route to a double-bogey ‘7’.
Hill then dropped a shot at the par-3 16th on route to a two-under 68.
Hill said: “I was on a nice little run there on the front nine and then over the inward half, I played decent but there was just one poor shot on 14 and a bad club choice on 16.
“Overall, I like the course. It’s tricky and you have to be patient and not chase birdie on every hole”.
Hero Championship winner Grant Forrest tails out the nine Scots in the field and struggling with a five-over par 75 and with Scott Jamieson the best with a three-under par.
England’s James Morrison, who went so close to denying Forrest at the Fairmont Resort in St. Andrews, set a new course record of a 10-under par 60 to lead by three.
